Environmental Science with Concentration in Hydrology, B.S.

Learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science.

Students will be equipped with the scholarly background and intellectual skills to understand a wide range of pressing environmental issues, and they will come to appreciate the physical, economic, political, demographic, and ethical factors that define those issues. Our graduates find employment with government environmental agencies, citizens' organizations, consulting firms, and corporate environmental affairs departments.

Water is fundamental to life, but humans are altering the water cycles in ways never before measured. The Environmental Science with Concentration in Hydrology offers coursework in geosciences, biology, chemistry, plus hydrology to train students in environmental monitoring approaches for tackling environmental problems. 

Undergraduate Contact Information:

Dr. Sujith Ravi, Program Director
Beury Hall, Room 317C
215-204-7122
sravi@temple.edu

Dr. David Grandstaff, Faculty Advisor, Environmental Science
Beury Hall, Room 322B
215-204-8228
grand@temple.edu

Bachelor of Science

Summary of Requirements for the Degree

  1. University Requirements (123 total s.h.)
    • Students must complete all University requirements including those listed below.
    • All Temple students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses at Temple as part of their major. The specific writing-intensive course options for this major are:
      EES 2096Climate Change: Oceans To Atmosphere4
      EES 2097Process Geomorphology4
      ENVS 4198Environmental Science Senior Seminar3
      ECON 3596Energy, Ecology, and Economy3
    • Students must complete the General Education (GenEd) requirements.
      • See the General Education section of the Undergraduate Bulletin for the GenEd curriculum.
      • Students who complete CST majors receive a waiver for 2 Science & Technology (GS) and 1 Quantitative Literacy (GQ) GenEd courses.
    • Students must satisfy general Temple University residency requirements.
  2. College Requirements
    • 45 Upper Level (2000+) credits within the College of Science & Technology (CST), the College of Liberal Arts (CLA), or the College of Engineering (ENG).
    • 90 credits within the College of Science & Technology (CST), the College of Liberal Arts (CLA), or the College of Engineering (ENG).
    • All students in the College of Science and Technology are required to take a one credit first year seminar. SCTC 1001 CST First Year Seminar is the appropriate course option for every entering first year CST major. Transfer students should use SCTC 2001 CST Transfer Seminar to fulfill this requirement. Other courses that fulfill this requirement may be found on the CST College Requirements page.

  3. Major Requirements for Bachelor of Science (75-79 s.h.)
    At least 10 courses required for the major must be completed at Temple.
    Biology
    BIOL 1111Introduction to Organismal Biology4
    or BIOL 1911 Honors Introduction to Organismal Biology
    BIOL 2227Principles of Ecology3
    Chemistry
    Select one of the following:4
    General Chemistry I
    and General Chemistry Laboratory I
    Honors General Chemical Science I
    and Honors Chemical Science Laboratory I (F)
    Select one of the following:4
    General Chemistry II
    and General Chemistry Laboratory II
    Honors General Chemical Science II
    and Honors Chemical Science Laboratory II (S)
    Select one of the following:4
    Organic Chemistry I
    and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
    Organic Chemistry for Honors I
    and Organic Honors Laboratory I
    Earth & Environmental Science
    EES 2001Physical Geology4
    Select one of the following: 1, 24
    Sedimentary Environments
    Process Geomorphology
    EES 3011Remote Sensing and GIS4
    EES 3021Groundwater Hydrology (S)4
    EES 3025Physical Hydrology (F)4
    Economics
    ECON 1102Microeconomic Principles3
    or ECON 1902 Honors Microeconomic Principles
    Environmental Science
    ENVS 4198Environmental Science Senior Seminar (S)3
    Environmental Science Electives
    Select 5 Environmental Science Electives chosen from the categories below. At least one Elective must be a writing-intensive course: 2
    3-4 Science Electives, with at least one each from Climate and Geochemistry9-16
    1-2 Policy Electives6-3
    Mathematics and Quantitative Methods
    MATH 1041Calculus I4
    or MATH 1941 Honors Calculus I
    SCTC 1013Elements of Data Science for the Physical and Life Sciences3
    Select one of the following:4
    Calculus II
    Honors Calculus II
    Introduction to Probability and Statistics for the Life Sciences
    Physics
    Select one of the following:4
    Elementary Classical Physics I
    Honors Elementary Classical Physics I
    General Physics I
    Honors General Physics I
    Total Credit Hours75-79
    (F) - Fall only course
    (S) - Spring only course
    Science Electives: Biology, Climate, Geochemistry, and Land
    Biology Electives
    BIOL 3114Evolutionary Ecology (F)3
    BIOL 3244Experimental Marine Biology4
    BIOL 3245Marine Ecology (F)4
    BIOL 3254Animal Behavior (S)3
    BIOL 3275Ecology of Invasive Species (F)3
    BIOL 3307Conservation Biology (F)3
    BIOL 3316Tropical Marine Biology (F)4
    BIOL 3321Plant Community Ecology (F)3
    BIOL 3323Global Change Science: Analytics with R3
    BIOL 3336Freshwater Ecology (F)4
    BIOL 3389Field Research in Community Ecology4
    Climate Electives - Choose at least one
    EES 2002Energy and Environment3
    EES 2096Climate Change: Oceans To Atmosphere4
    EES 4502Ice and Global Climate4
    RMI 2101Introduction to Risk Management3
    Geochemistry Electives - Choose at least one
    EES 2061Introduction to Geochemistry4
    EES 3065Nanoscience & the Environment4
    ENVH 2102Environmental Health 13
    CHEM 3103Techniques of Chemical Measurement I3
    Land Electives
    EES 2002Energy and Environment3
    EES 2021Sedimentary Environments4
    EES 2097Process Geomorphology4
    EES 3042Coastal Processes and Geomorphology4
    Policy Electives
    CDEV 2255Environmental Justice in Communities3
    CTRP 2251Sustainable Food Systems Planning3
    ECON 1101Macroeconomic Principles3
    ECON 3596Energy, Ecology, and Economy3
    ENST 2025Environmental Law and Regulation3
    ENST 2051The Urban Environment3
    ENST 3015The Geographic Basis of Land Use Planning3
    ENST 3051Environmental Policy Issues3
    ENST 3058Environment and Development3
    ENST 3314Food Studies: A Geographical Perspective3
    (F) - Fall only course
    (S) - Spring only course

Calculation of Major GPA

Courses listed under the major requirements for the degree will be included in the calculation of the major GPA. Courses that could not apply toward the major as an elective or required course would not be counted in the calculation of the major GPA. This would include CHEM 1027, for example.

Distinction in Major

To graduate with Distinction in Major, students are required to achieve a 3.5 GPA for courses required for the major. If the difficulty of courses chosen as electives is high, then a 3.3 GPA will earn Distinction in Major. This determination will be made by the appropriate faculty. In addition, a student graduating with distinction has no grade below C in the remaining courses required for the major.

Suggested Academic Plan

Please note that this is a suggested academic plan. Depending on your situation, your academic plan may look different.

Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with Concentration in Hydrology

Requirements for New Students starting in the 2022-2023 Academic Year

Year 1
FallCredit Hours
Select one of the following:4
General Chemistry I 
Honors General Chemical Science I (F) 
MATH 1041 or 1941Calculus I4
SCTC 1001CST First Year Seminar1
SCTC 1013Elements of Data Science for the Physical and Life Sciences3
GenEd Breadth Course3
 Term Credit Hours15
Spring
Select one of the following:4
General Chemistry II 
Honors General Chemical Science II 
EES 2001Physical Geology4
Select one of the following:4
Calculus II 
Introduction to Probability and Statistics for the Life Sciences 
ENG 0802, 0812, or 0902Analytical Reading and Writing [GW]4
 Term Credit Hours16
Year 2
Fall
BIOL 1111 or 1911Introduction to Organismal Biology4
Select one of the following:4
Organic Chemistry I 
Organic Chemistry for Honors I 
IH 0851 or 0951Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY]3
GenEd Breadth Course3-4
Elective1-0
 Term Credit Hours15
Spring
BIOL 2227Principles of Ecology3
Select one of the following:4
Elementary Classical Physics I 
Honors Elementary Classical Physics I 
General Physics I 
Honors General Physics I 
Environmental Science Elective 1 - Science1,23-4
IH 0852 or 0952Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ]3
Elective 3-2
 Term Credit Hours16
Year 3
Fall
EES 3025Physical Hydrology (F)4
Select one of the following:34
Sedimentary Environments 
Process Geomorphology [WI] (F) 
Environmental Science Elective 2 - Science1,23-4
GenEd Breadth Course3
Elective2-1
 Term Credit Hours16
Spring
EES 3011Remote Sensing and GIS4
EES 3021Groundwater Hydrology4
ECON 1102 or 1902Microeconomic Principles3
GenEd Breadth Course3
Elective1
 Term Credit Hours15
Year 4
Fall
Environmental Science Elective 3 - Science1,23-4
Environmental Science Elective 4 - Policy13
GenEd Breadth Course3
Elective3
Elective3-2
 Term Credit Hours15
Spring
ENVS 4198Environmental Science Senior Seminar [WI] (S)3
Environmental Science Elective 5 - Science or Policy1,23-4
Elective3
Elective3
Elective3-2
 Term Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours: 123
(F) - Fall only course
(S) - Spring only course